Green light for Equinor to use Trestakk facilities ahead of 2019 startup

Åsgard A production vessel. Source: Equinor/Photographer Øyvind Hagen

Norwegian oil company Equinor has been given consent for the use of the pipeline and subsea production facilities at Trestakk field, ahead of a production start planned later this year.

Norway’s offshore safety agency, the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA), said on Friday it had given its consent to Equinor for the use of Trestakk facilities, as well as for the connection to Åsgard A FPSO.

The Trestakk field is located in the Norwegian Sea, 20 kilometers south of Åsgard. The field is under development and production is scheduled to start in 2019. Trestakk is part of production license 091, for which Equinor is the operator.

Equinor submitted a Plan for Development and Operation (PDO) of the Trestakk discovery to the Norwegian authorities in November 2016. Following the plan submission, Aker Solutions was awarded a topside contract for delivery to the Trestakk development and TechnipFMC received an integrated engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) contract for Trestakk. The plan was approved in April 2017.

The first estimates for developing Trestakk were around NOK 10 billion. At the time of concept choice in January 2016, the costs had been reduced to NOK 7 billion. Based on further improvements and concept adjustments up till investment decision, the costs were reduced to NOK 5.5 billion.

The development solution is a subsea template with four well slots and a satellite well, tied to the Åsgard A facility for processing and gas injection. Three production wells and two gas injection wells will be drilled.